I'm a talent strategist, practitioner, speaker and author who operates as CEO of TalentCulture Consulting Group. I'm also a social media community catalyst who founded TalentCulture World of Work, as well as #TChat forums on Twitter and BlogTalkRadio. I’m passionate about helping leaders recruit and retain stellar talent. I've partnered with brands like Google, Microsoft, IBM and many growing software, digital technology companies at the intersection of talent management, HR technology and social enterprise. I was named one of the “10 Most Influential People in Community Management Today” by Brandwatch; one of the “Top 25 Trendsetters in HR” by HR Examiner; a “Top 100 Business, Leadership & Tech Twitter Accounts” by Huffington Post; and one of the “Nifty 50 Top Women in Technology on Twitter” by Webbiquity. I can be reached via email at mbiro@talentculture.com, on Twitter at @TalentCulture and @MeghanMBiro, or on LinkedIn.

5 Steps to Empowering The Brand You

Is there a more overworked word in the business lexicon than “personal brand”? Brand this, brand that, brand yourself, blah-blah-blah. The whole concept has officially entered the Social and Career Cliché Hall of Fame, right?

Not so fast.

Like all clichés, branding became one because there’s truth in it. So let’s all get a little Zen here and assume Shoshin or beginner’s mind. This is a powerful practice — a brilliant business thinker and local social friend of mine by the name of (1997 anyone? this is not a new concept ) Tom Peters – mentioned this means clearing our minds of preconceptions and approaching a subject as if for the first time. I like this concept and try to put into practice whenever I can.

The simple truth: you branding is real and imperative. It is positive, passionate, and powerful. It is a road that leads to our best career and leadership selves.

And it’s not complicated.

Let’s get back to basics with these five essentials steps:

1) Listen to Shakespeare

“This above all: to thine own self be true.” With these nine simple words, the Bard has gotten to the heart of branding. Your brand must start with you — and stay true to you. It’s not a B-school concept or some trending social media fad that will burn out in six months. Your brand is you – heart, soul, and head. Never forget that fact. Make it the foundation of all that follows your career and leadership skills.

2) Take a personal inventory

We all think we know ourselves pretty well, but a personal inventory is an essential step in building Brand You. It’s an objective look at our strengths, our weaknesses and our personality. Start with your passions — what makes you leap out of bed in the morning, makes you want to dig deep and deliver? What are your talents? What areas just don’t grab you? Where are you weak? Remember, no one is good at everything, and nobody hires you to be perfect. Understand what Brand You is best at — this your career calling card.

3) Be honest

In our culture there’s bias towards extroverts, people who are positive, outgoing, cheerful. Guess what? Not all of us are like that. In fact, some of the most amazingly gifted and productive people on the planet are introverts, serious, distracted, even socially awkward. Most of us fall somewhere in between. But if you are an introvert, own it, share it, and be proud because it’s part of Brand You. Don’t force yourself to be someone you’re not. This rule also applies to social media. Maybe you’re a natural at blogging, tweeting, facebooking, etc. and maybe you’re not. If you’re not, then it shouldn’t be a crucial part of Brand You. (Caveat – these days at least a passable aptitude with social media is pretty much sine qua non. So at least master the social media basics) The key, again and always, is to be true to yourself.

It sometimes seems like the most aggressive (even arrogant) people get noticed, hired and rewarded. You might call it the Donald Trump Syndrome. The fact is, for every Donald, there are a dozen people who oversold themselves, weren’t able to deliver, and stalled their careers. Be confident, of course, but don’t promise what Brand You can’t deliver. It’s a mistake HR people and leaders see all the time. Yes, shoot for the stars on every project, but let your results speak for themselves. On the other hand, do make sure that your friends, recruiters, hiring managers and leaders know about your successes and that you get credit where due. Don’t hide your light under a talent, let it shine!

5) Bring your best self

Our work lives are very important to all of us. Let’s not forget …. They can be a source of fulfillment, challenge, excitement, and financial, social rewards — and give real meaning to our lives. Brand You is about making that happen for you. It’s about understanding yourself – your best self – and then sharing it with the world of work and your social communities of interest. It’s about bringing your heart, soul and head, your passions and promise to your career. Build a Brand You that reflects all that and great things will happen.

Post Your Comment

Post Your Reply

Forbes writers have the ability to call out member comments they find particularly interesting. Called-out comments are highlighted across the Forbes network. You'll be notified if your comment is called out.

Comments

Great article! It’s very true that the idea of a “personal brand” is starting to become trite. But, that doesn’t make it any less true and important! I think that one of the key ways to make sure you can actually develop a good brand of you, is by taking a personal inventory like what you mentioned in 2).

And a key part of that is really knowing what you value. Otherwise, how else can you be sure you’re creating a brand that really represents the true you? I wrote an article on the topic of determining your values along with a free worksheet-type document to assist you in doing so here: http://su.pr/2K3ox6.

I’m sure it would help anyone who wants to really start developing their brand and know it represents who they really are!

Thanks so much, Vance! A worksheet is a wonderful idea — sometimes to understand our best self, we need to make ourselves sit down and think about it. Having a worksheet to guide us through our “think-through” is awesome!

This article is the best — it simplifies the creation of Brand You, based on the truths you recognize about yourself, with an inspiring result. It’s a must-read for anyone looking to understand and build a personal brand. It’s a “to thine own self be true” approach that I think will be valuable to all.

These are all great tips on how to build a better brand and keep true to yourself. A great way to show off your personal brand while looking for a new job is with a video resume. On video you can show off your communication skills and devel into your relevant qualifications. But you can also show off your personal brand by displaying your personality and career passions. However you choose to show it off, remember a personal brand is an important tool to find a great job and move up the career ladder.

Great article Meghan. Similar to the Shakespeare quote above, I recommend reading Peter Dale Wimbrow Sr.’s poem, Man in the Glass. I share it when working with clients who are trying to figure out their own brand.

As a stay-at-home dad blogger, I try to use my abilities to my full advantage. I have learned that there are many people that are keenly interested in my opinion and want to hear what a father has to say about parenting. It has helped me to be able to market myself, and my skills in ways I would not have thought possible even a year ago.

The nice thing about it is I have been able to bring my college degree into play as well, social worker with emphasize on children and families. I refuse to sell myself short and think I have discovered the next chapter in my life and will continue to see where it takes me.

Aaron — This is great. The totally wonderful thing is that you can use your brand and your position to do some urgent teaching for other fathers (and moms) — you can make a genuine difference. Once your brand is trusted, you have a terrific chance to shape opinion, shape awareness, have an impact on families and community. Keep at it — for all our sakes!!